Hi from a new member

[Genea]

Hi everyone :bgrin

I'm new here and new to horses. I've been reading for awhile and finally decided to join.

I've wanted horses all my life and am finally getting 2 mini's. I'm really excited and also scared to death.

They are going to be well loved pets. I'm not getting them for breeding, showing or anything like that.

I've been doing alot reading and researching and it just seems like there is so much to know and to many things that can happen to these guys. I hope you don't mind if I ask some questions. I just want to make sure I do everything right so I can take the best care of these guys that I possibly can.

They will be 4 months old when I bring them home in August.

Of all the things I've read, Colic scares me the most. Is there anything I can do to lessen the chance of them getting colic?

What should I be feeding them and how much? Like what kinds of hay and brand names of grain are the best? How much should I feed them each day? How long each day should they be allowed to graze?

I've read that they should be wormed every 2 months. Is this correct? What kind of wormer should they be given and how much?

I would really appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks

Genea

 

[flmiller]

Hi Genea,

Welcome and congrats on your two minis! You're going to LOVE them! I got my first two in 2003 and there are 20 at my house right now! :lol:

What part of the country are you in?

I would talk to the current owners of your new babies and try to keep their feeding schedule as close as possible to what they are on right now. Then you can make slow adjustments after they are home!

Ooops. Boss in here talking to me...how dare they interrupt my horse time at work!

Liz

 

[Bluerocket]

Hello Genea -- welcome to the forum and congratulations on your two new minis.

Do you have any pictures of them? What sex are they? What color?

I agree that starting out with the feeding program they are used to is a great way to start. Some horses are "easy keepers" and need less food than others -- so hard to tell you "from here" how much to feed to them.

Here in Central KY, I prefer to feed a high quality orchardgrass hay. I also supplement that with wet beet pulp and wet alfalfa cubes in the winter -- and babies (weanlings) I feed a high % protein until they are 2yo (We feed Triple Crown but there are lots of good brands out there).

My horses don't get a lot of hay or grain because they are easy keepers - and to be honest - they are all overweight at this point -- I am trying to get them to lose weight - but we have really good grass in our paddocks right now - and even though they have limited turn out time.

Is there a farmer's co-op or extension service in your area? A good local feed store? you should check all those out to see what it out there - and where you can get good quality hay etc.. Also you need to get to know local veterinarians and see if any of them have experience with miniatures. Minis can be quite different from full size horses.

Are there any mini clubs in your area? Are there more mini breeders in addition to the ones who are selling you your minis? Try to meet as many of them as you can. Visit their farms if possible -- Perhaps there will be local people to help you with your minis.

Be sure and see the forum BEST OF LIL BEGINNINGS for a thread about de-wormers and other medications to avoid.

I de-worm my horses every 8 weeks with either Ivermectin or Safeguard -- I NEVER USE QUEST - you can kill a mini with an accidental overdose of Quest. Never give your mini BUTE - even if the vet tells you to. Ask for BANAMINE instead. Minis do not do well with BUTE.

Colic is another way to say belly ache -- problem is that horses cannot regurgitate (throw up) - so if they get a belly ache they often roll violently on the ground and can twist their intestines and can die from an impaction in their intestines. A sudden change of food - or moldy food (hay or grain) are just some of the things that can cause colic. You can do a GOOGLE search for the word COLIC and find out more information - as well as ask your new veterinarian.

That is just a start. Good luck with your minis... and again, welcome to the board.

JJay

PS I am not a veterinarian. I am simply speaking from my personal experience. Everyone has their own way of doing things - this is just what I do.

 

[Sandee]

Hi everyone :bgrin

I'm new here and new to horses. ...........

They will be 4 months old when I bring them home in August.

................

I've read that they should be wormed every 2 months. Is this correct? What kind of wormer should they be given and how much?

I would really appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks

Genea

Please talk with the breeders about worming. At only 4 months old they should be wormed more often than 2 months. Some breeders use daily wormer but you can also use paste (Panacur is good safe one to start them with; finally switching to Ivermectin) once a month until about a year old. These young ones can develop worms so easily and it can lead to other problems.

I fed my 4 month old the same amount as my full grown 3 year old. Plus making sure she had the added supplements and protein needed for growing those bones. She got 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup "Born to Win", and 2 lb of hay -daily split into 2 or 3 meals.

Good luck, they'll steal your heart!

 

[Genea]

Hi Liz

Thank you for the welcome. Lucky you to have 20.

In all my research, I don't know how many times I read that you can't stop at one. :bgrin I know I'm going to love and enjoy them, I just wish I wasn't so nervous about it. I'm in South West Virginia. We are going up to visit my babies this weekend and I'll ask alot of questions. I already have. I just thought it would be a good idea to get as much info. as I can. I like to hear different opinion's.

Thanks again

Genea

 

[KanoasDestiny]

You have a PM

 

[Genea]

Hi JJay

Thank you for the welcome and for the information. I didn't know that about Quest and Bute. Is Bute also a wormer? We have several vets in the area and I'm going to talk to them soon and find out what they know about Mini's. I don't know of any Mini clubs here or any other breeders. The breeder I found lives over 6 hours away. I wish I knew someone that lived close. We do have several feed stores. I'm going to check them out soon. Right now we are trying to get everything ready. I will talk to the Breeder and find out what she feeds them. I've already started reading Best Of LIL Beginnings. There is alot of great info.

I didn't know horses couldn't throw up. There is so much for me to learn. I don't want to mess up.

Again, thank you for you help. I appreciate it. :bgrin

Genea

 

[Genea]

[Hello Genea -- welcome to the forum and congratulations on your two new minis.

Do you have any pictures of them? What sex are they? What color?

OH, I forgot to answer these questions. They are both males and I don't really know what color they are. I'm still reading about that. :bgrin

But here are a couple of pictures.

This is Mid Knight Tango: His Dam is solid Chestnut and his sire is a black & white Pinto.

This is Alembic Essence: Both parents are pintos

You have a PM

Great. :bgrin I'll PM you back.

Thanks

Genea

 

[Matt73]

Hi There

I'm new to this as well (I just picked up two yearling fillies a week and a half ago). I had all the same questions as you did...specifically what and how much to feed. I used to have big horses and although similar, I am finding out all the differences as well very quickly. I am feeding my girls 1 flake of hay and one cup of 12% protein Buckeye Pleasure Horse sweetfeed spread out over 2 feedings. I've also started them on a bi-monthly worming program that goes like this:

June 1: Pyrantel (Exodus)

Aug 1: Fenbendazole (Panacur or Safeguard)

Oct 1: Ivermectin (Panomec, Eqvalan, or Zimectrin)

and then start over with exodus in December

I got this program from a thread on here!

I too am scared to death of colic. Luckily, even when I had big thoroughbreds and warmbloods in the hunter/jumper ring I was spared this. It is fairly common. But just observe and be smart about what stresors you expose your little ones to. I am hand-walking/running my girls as my paddocks are being built with a bit of grazing thrown in. When they do have a paddock there will be grass and they will be turned out, for now, an hour max.

I'll introduce beet pulp in the winter.

 

[Genea]

Hi Sandee

Thank you and I will talk to the breeder. I have alot of questions to ask her still. How old should they be when you start worming them? They are a little over a month old and the breeder told me they were to young to start worming them.

Thanks again for the information. I appreciate it.

Genea

Please talk with the breeders about worming. At only 4 months old they should be wormed more often than 2 months. I fed my 4 month old the same amount as my full grown 3 year old. Plus making sure she had the added supplements and protein needed for growing those bones. She got 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup "Born to Win", and 2 lb of hay -daily split into 2 or 3 meals.

Good luck, they'll steal your heart!

 

[virginia]

Hi Genea, I'm so glad you found the Forum. Please make a list of all your questions and when you come, I'll do my best to answer them. Still haven't gotten them clipped, but will try to get them before Sunday.

Wish all my clients did as much research as you are doing. You can never learn too much. I look forward to Sunday. The two boys are tearing up the pasture! LOL

Ginny

 

[kaykay]

hi matt

one cup of feed spread out is near enough for two yearling fillies

Also one flake of hay for two yearlings is again not nearly enough. The yearling year is so important as this is when they attain most of their growth. Its a huge myth that miniature horses only need a handful of feed per day. We feed all of our foals and horses up to 2 years old equine jr. Just for an example i have a 2 yr old mare here that is only 28.5" She gets 8 cups of equine jr daily and two full flakes of hay. Now she is also showing so thats why shes still on the equine jr at 2 yrs old.

but remember to make all feed changes gradually. But please rethink what you are feeding the two girls. If you are feeding sweet feed you cannot up it like you can equine jr. equine jr is a complete feed not a sweet feed so it cant hurt them to have larger amounts. But even if you dont change your grain pls increas the hay. Each filly should get at least 1 flake of hay to themselves per feeding so that would be 2 flakes of hay each per day. I dont know their size so im not even sure 2 flakes of hay is enough.

Kay

 

[sfmini]

I agree, that isn't enough feed. We feed our babies thru yearling/2 year old a full 1 pound coffee can of 14% sweet feed (similar to Omolene 200) 2x per day plus 1 flake of hay 2x per day.

I strongly suggest to anybody getting their first horses an excellent book titled "Getting Your First Horse" by Judith Dutson. She targets the ADULT first time owner and the book is loaded with great advice from finding the first horse through health care and husbandry. Not biased although the author is a close friend and my name even shows up in the acknowledgements! This is a very good book and thoroughly researched by someone with over 40 years of horse ownership under her belt. You can order the book from Amazon or Borders.

 

[sfmini]

I agree, that isn't enough feed. We feed our babies thru yearling/2 year old a full 1 pound coffee can of 14% sweet feed (similar to Omolene 200) 2x per day plus 1 flake of hay 2x per day.

I strongly suggest to anybody getting their first horses an excellent book titled "Getting Your First Horse" by Judith Dutson. She targets the ADULT first time owner and the book is loaded with great advice from finding the first horse through health care and husbandry. Not biased although the author is a close friend and my name even shows up in the acknowledgements! This is a very good book and thoroughly researched by someone with over 40 years of horse ownership under her belt. You can order the book from Amazon or Borders.

 

[Matt73]

Thanks for your responses!

I've been asking everyone what is the correct amount to feed these little creatures and I've been getting very conflicting responses from one flake each/day to two flakes each per day. I think I will go to the 2 flakes/day along with 2 cups sweetfeed each/day. I will increase the sweetfeed gradually. Thanks again.

BTW one girl is 29" and the other is about 31".

Matt

 

[kaykay]

Matt what kind of hay are you feeding?? that also makes a big difference. I would really encourage you to take them off sweet feed and put them on a complete feed but that has to be up to you

Can you post a couple pics of them?? The 31" may need more hay depending on what kind you are feeding.

 

[Sandee]

Thanks for your responses!

I've been asking everyone what is the correct amount to feed these little creatures and I've been getting very conflicting responses from one flake each/day to two flakes each per day. I think I will go to the 2 flakes/day along with 2 cups sweetfeed each/day. I will increase the sweetfeed gradually. Thanks again.

BTW one girl is 29" and the other is about 31".

Matt

Matt, please re-think the sweet feed. Minis are so prone to digestive problems and other ailments that sweet feed is not a really good choice for them. Look into the complete feeds or supplemental feeds (like purina nature essentials) and then if you want to you can add that to oats. I use rolled oats since I have a senior mini and it's easier for him to chew and digest.

 

[Matt73]

They are on a mostly timothy hay with a bit of alfalfa (hardly any).

Instead of a 12% sweetfeed, what do you think about Buckeye Gro'N Win Horse and Foal Ration Balancer? Here is a partial analysis:

Crude Protein, Min: 32.00%

Crude Fat, Min: 5.00%

Crude Fiber, Max: 5.00%

Ca, Min.: 2.50%

Ca, Max: 3.50%

P, Min: 1.50%

K, Min: 1.50%

Cu, Min: 200 ppm

Zn, Min: 400 ppm

Se: 1.5 ppm

Vit. A, Min: 22 000 IU/lb

Vit. D, Min: 2 200 IU/lb

Vit. E, Min: 350 IU/lb

Ascorbic Acid, Min: 50 mg/lb

Since they're not getting a lot of Alfalfa is it advisable to get more protein in them from a feed such as this?

I'm not sure how to put pics on here, but one of the fillies is the one in the avatar.

Also, if I were to switch them to this feed, how slow or fast of transition do I do?

 

[Estelle]

Hey there congrats on your two babies! im new to minis myself, but have had riding horses since I was 4 so that 41 years now...I have one arab cross mare and my mini mare...I personally so far at least have not found much difference between full size and minis except food intake of course LOL It's good that you are going to talk with the breeder..handy hint for you...write down questions as you think of them and bring the list along with you that way you wont forget anything!

Great bunch of people here and lots of help! It was one of my first stops after I got my mini! :bgrin

 

[Genea]

Hi Ginny :bgrin :saludando:

I'm glad I found it too. I know you'll answer all my questions. I've got a list ready.

I just thought I'd find out as much info. as I can. Yea, I've been researching like crazy. I've read so much my eyes hurt. LOL You've also been a big help to me. I can't wait to come up Sunday. We are looking forward to it. I'll be they are tearing up the pasture. LOL

I loved watching them that weekend we were up there.

See ya soon

Genea